Folding box



S. PLATT FOLDING BOX April 9, 1946. Y

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1943 INVENTOR. 50M0L P4417 ATTUR/VE Y8.

S. PLATT FOLDING BOX April 9, 1946.

Filed Aug. =16, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 INVENTOR- Saw/a5; Pun-r Mr 64 A TTOR/VE vs Patented Apr. 9, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BOX Samuel Platt, SanFran'cisco, Calif;

ApplicationAugust 16, 1943, Serial No. 498,812

2-Claims.

This invention relates to folding boxesand has for oneof its objectstheprovision of a folding box 'having side walls and a bottom, and which box is adapted to be quicl zly'folded from a single flat sheet of cardboard, or the like, without requiring the useof glue or cement and without nesses'of said'cardb'oard, and which box is held in set-up' condition without the use of glue, or the like, andwithout' interlocking elements such as enclosed slitsor slotsreceiving' tabs therein.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the drawings andv description;

In brief: explanation of the above objects, the useof the term folding box refers toboxes that do not require glue for holding the sides-upright or at right angles tothe bottom'of the box. There are many boxes that are folded froma cardboard sheetbutwhich boxes must employ glue at some point or points in their fabrication to holdthem in shape. These boxesor others using'staples or any material extraneous to the material of theisheet forming the box are not folding'boxes within my meaning of'the term, or as-thetermis commonly used in the art of box making. A folding box ordinarily is shipped to the customer in a fiat, knocked-down form andthe customer folds it, orsets it up, although this is not necessarily so;

Most folding boxes require slits or' enclosed slots, and tabs that are cut or formed to'releasa'bly lock in such slits or slots. The formingof such slits or enclosed slots is objectionable" in that the material from the blanks tends to stickin them and cannot be stripped therefrom without considerable diificulty. Also the settingup of such boxes is diflicult for relatively inexperienced persons and even experienced persons many times have'trouble and flaps or slits are mutilated. In all instances, the operation is relatively slow. Inasmuch as boxes, after being setup,- areseldom, if ever, unfolded, the most desirable structure is one that avoids the above mentioneddifllcul-- ties, and that provides a neat box free from-exunfold; even. when subjected toextraordinary abuse. Such box is provided by my structure.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 ma plan view of: a blank from which the box'of' my invention is formed. All dash'lines in said figure indicated crease or score lines for folding.

Fig. 2 is anenlarged'plan view of the blank of Fig. 1 whenfolded; and looking into theboxfrom its open upper side.-

Fig. 3 is a perspectivefview of'one end of the boxpartially folded-to show one stageof the'folding process.

Fig.4 is a perspective fragmentary view of one endof the box-when folded. Part ofthe cover is indicated.

Fig. 5. is a sectional view of partof the box as seen from line 5-'5*of FigzAx Fig. 6 is a sectional-view of the box a's'seehfrom' by parallel fold linesZ while fold lines 3 bound the other twoedgesh These'lines-represent folding scores formed in theblank.

Outwardly of scoresZ are generally rectangular extensions that arescored at 4 along lines equally spaced from.their outer edges, and-parallel with scores- 2, thereby defining marginalstrip's 5 along said edges.

Midway between-scores 2, 4 in each extension that is: outward of scores 3, the said extensions are scores at fi-parallel-with scores z respectively adjacent thereto.

Outwardly of .scores 3 are generally rectangular extensionsthat are scored-at l-along lines equally spaced from their outer edges and parallel with scores 3,.thereby defining marginalstrips Balong said edges. These strips-8 are each'of the same width as eachofthestrips 5, andscores l are spaced from scores 3 substantially the same distance' that scores dare spaced! from scores 2 and parallel with scores 11.

In foldingthe'blank'so as to form the box, the

extensions'outward" of' scores land at opposite sides of scores 6 will be folded on themselves and then folded along scores 2 to be at right angles to the bottom I. In this position the strips will fold along scores 4 to overlie the marginal portions of bottom I along scores 2. Thus two of the opposed sides of the box will be formed.

The other two opposed sides will be formed by folding the extensions outwardly of scores 3 at opposite sides of scores 9 on themselves. When these extensions are then folded along scores 3 to positions at right angles to the bottom, the flaps 8 will overlie the marginal portions of bottom I along scores 3 the same as marginal portions 5 overlie the marginal portions along scores 2. However, the ends of marginal portions 8 will overlie the ends of marginal portions 5 as will be later described.

In order to hold the double sides, above described, at right angles to the bottom I, I provide corner pieces on the blank at the adjacent ends of the adjacent extensions.

To best define these corner pieces, the portions of the extensions forming the inner and outer layers of each side of the box will be identified.

The portions III of the extensions outwardly of scores 2 and directly adjacent said scores will form the outer layers of two opposed sides of the box, while the portions between scores 4, 5 will form the inner layers respectively adjacent and opposed to layers III.

The portions I2 of the extensions outwardly of scores 3 form the outer layers of the other two opposed sides of the box, while the portions I3 between scores I, 9 form the inner layers of saidopposed sides.

The corner pieces are each in two parts, but integrally united. Part I4 of each corner piece is preferably rectangular and is bounded by aligned extensions of scores 2, 3 and of scores IS on three edges, while the fourth edge is free and is in continuation of score lines 9. A diagonal score I5 extends across each part I4 from the intersections of score lines 2, 3 at the corners of the bottom I.

The second part I6 of each corner piece is integral with and outwardly of each end of each portion II. The part I6 is also integral with each part I4 being joined therewith along the extensions of scores 6. The juncture between each part I6 and each portion II is defined by the extensions of each score 3.

The free edge of each part I4 that is in continuation of scores 9 continues past part I 4 to define one free edge of each part I6.

The ends of the marginal strips 5 terminate even with extensions of the score lines 3, and the ends of the inner layers II are notched out diricglg adjoining the ends of strips 5 as indicated a The depth of each notch 20 is important, it being slightly greater than the width of each strip 8, and the width of each notch in direction at right angles to its depth, or in direction at right angles to strips 5, is slightly greater than the width of each of the tabs 2| that are at the ends of strips 8 and in extension thereof. This width of each tab 2| refers to the dimension thereof longitudinally of each strip 1.

Each notch 20 opens outwardly by reason of the fact that each part I6 is cut away along line 22 that extends from the side of notch 20 remote from each strip 5 that is adjacent thereto, to the free edge of each part I6 that is in alignment with the adjacent score 4. Thus any cardboard stock that might tend to stick in the notch is readily stripped therefrom through the open side of notch 20.

To fold the box, the extensions comprising inner and outer layers III, II are folded on themselves and then are brought to a position at right angles to bottom I as seen in Fig. 3. The inherent resiliency of the cardboard along the line of bend that defines the free edge of each side so formed will tend to cause inner layers II to swing inwardl into the box at their lower edges. Also, the tendency of the strips 5 to straighten out to coplanar relation to the inner layers will cause them to lie flat against the bottom I.

The above step will result in the parts I4, I6 being also brought into opposed relation and perpendicular to bottom I, but the extensions comprising inner and outer layers I2, I3 will still be substantially coplanar with bottom I. By swinging the pairs of parts I4, I6 toward each other to the positions thereof indicated in Fig. 3, the parts I4 will automatically fold on itself along fold lines I5 to carry the respective layers I2 to positions at right angles to bottom I. The inner layers I3 (Fig. 3) are then swung over the parts I4, IE to opposed relation, and as said inner layers swing between the opposed inner layers II, the tabs 2| will be yeildably bent backward to generally a position at right angles to the respective strips 5 that carry them. As soon as the inner layers I3 are substantially parallel with the layers I2 (the parts I4, I6 being between layer I2 and layer I3 at two opposed sides of the box), the ends of strips 8 and the tabs 2| will slip into the notches 20. Upon release of the folding pressure on layers I3, they will each tend to spring away from the layer I2 adjacent thereto, and a comer 24 (Fig. 6) of each tab 2| will slip between layers III, N (Fig. 5), it being remembered that layers I I also tend to swing inwardly toward each other at their lower edges at all times. Thus once the box is set up by folding as above described, it is releasably locked against unfolding, and should the user desire to unfold the box, the inner layers I I must each be tightly pressed against the layer III that is adjacent thereto, and also layers I3 must each be pressed tightly against outer layer I2 that is adjacent thereto, and then the operator must bend tabs 2| to swing them out of notches 2 These operations should be simultaneous, a fact which makes the lock that is created a very reliable one.

The tabs 2| are not essential to holding the box in setup form, because the ends of strips 8 will still be held in overlying relation to the ends of strips 5 and in notches 20, even if tabs 2| are removed, but the lock is made more positive by providing the tabs. Thus this invention is not restricted to the use of the tabs.

The structure as described, provides for automatic locking of the walls of the box in proper position when they are folded. No glue, cement, paste, staples, or other material is required. In fact they are not desirable, since there are occasions on which the unfolding of the box is found desirable, and also the use of such glue orother material is expensive, requiring a special machine if the step is to be commercially practical. Obviously, box users purchasing fiat blanks for folding to box form are not equipped with such machines.

The box cover 30 (Fig. 4) is identical in structure to the body of the box, and the dimensions kare such that it will telescopically fit over the ody,

From the structure described, it is further seen that the provision of flaps 5, 8 reinforces the box along the junctures between bottom 1 and outer layers I 0. Also the integral juncture between parts I6 and inner layers H, and between parts l4 and outer layers H3 reinforces the box at the four corners.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A rectangular box having a bottom wall, two opposed end walls, and two opposed side walls, all formed from a single sheet of cardboard, said end walls and said side walls being extensions of said bottom wall respectively folded on themselves to provide a double layer of said sheet in which each layer terminates in a marginal strip overlying the bottom wall along each edge of the latter, the marginal strips on said end walls being in overlying relation to the marginal strips on said side walls, laterally and oppositely outwardly opening notches formed in opposite ends of the inner layers of said side walls, the upper edges of said notches extending slantingly downwardly and generally toward each other from the end edges of each inner layer of said side walls, extensions respectively projecting outwardly of the ends of the marginal strips that are on said end walls and through said notches to upstanding positions, each such extension being formed with a corner portion extending between the inner and outer layers of said side walls adjacent the lower end of the slanted upper edge of each of said notches.

2. A rectangular box having a bottom wall, two opposed end walls and two opposed side walls all formed from a single sheet of cardboard, said end walls and said side walls being extensions of said bottom wall respectively folded on themselves to provide a double layer of said sheet in which each inner layer terminates in a marginal strip overlying said bottom wall along each edge of the latter, diagonally foldable corner pieces integral with the outer layers of said side walls and end walls at their adjacent ends, and extensions integral with inner layers of said end walls at their opposite ends and with said corner pieces along one edge of each corner piece, said corner pieces being positioned between said extensions and the outer layers of said end walls, laterally oppositely outwardly opening notches formed in the ends of the inner layers of each side wall adjacent the marginal strips respectively thereon, the upper edge of each such notch extending slantingly downwardly from the end wall adjacent thereto, tabs formed on the opposite ends of the marginal strips that are on the inner layers of said end walls and extending through said notches and upwardly against the outer layers of said side walls with part of the upper portion of each tab disposed between the inner and outer layer of each side wall that is adjacent the lower end of the slanted edge of each notch.

SAMUEL PLATT. 

